“How long will the land lie parched and the grass in every field be withered? Because those who live in it are wicked, the animals and birds have perished.” Jeremiah 12: 4

The national suicide of Zimbabwe continues as the land spirals downward into lawlessness and savagery. Most of the wildlife has been senselessly slaughtered by blood-thirsty mobs of ZANU-PF’s ‘war veterans’ and youth militia. Vast herds of elephant and the endangered Black Rhino, cheetah, leopard and antelope have been snared, speared, shot or blown up.

Huge forests have been destroyed and entire game reserves have been devastated by Marxist mobs in Zimbabwe.

Some of the greatest game reserves in Africa have been in Zimbabwe. Now these wildlife sanctuaries are the scenes of unprecedented slaughter.

The Save Valley in Zimbabwe is one of Africa’s largest conservation areas. It’s 840 000 acres have supported over 1 200 elephant and it has been renowned as having one of the most successful Black Rhino breeding programmes in Africa. Over the last two years, over 25% of this game reserve have been occupied by ‘war veterans’ and youth militia. During this time, the game rangers have recovered over 1 089 dead animals from snares. Victims of these snares have included elephant, wild dog, cheetah, leopard and rhino. Since last August, game rangers have discovered over 27 000 snares, equating to about 40 km’s of wire. These mine fields of cable snares, scattered throughout the game reserve, are strangling and starving their victims to death. The game rangers estimate that there could be over 427 000 snares throughout the game reserve. In addition to snaring the animals, the poachers have been using packs of dogs to run the animals down, where they are then speared or axed to death by mobs.

In Bubiana, an estimated 30 000 animals have been slaughtered in the last 18 months. Many have had only a limb cut off for the poachers’ pot, leaving the rest of the carcass to rot. In addition to the decimation of wildlife, the destruction of the habitat has also been severe. Bubiana has lost an estimated 240 000 trees, whilst 50% of Chiredzi’s 270 000 acres have been destroyed. A game ranger reports: “The worst thing is the Mupani forests, which take years and years to regenerate, are being hammered really hard. Big chunks of forests are being cut down and destroyed, opening up the bush and exposing vast tracks of soil to erosion. A whole ecosystem is being destroyed.”

Bubiana has one of the largest rhino populations in the world, 50% of which are believed to have already been killed. Another conservation area, Lynwood Ranch, has found 7 of its 36 Black Rhino in snares. In Matusadona Park, two Rhino were poisoned with pesticide and one had its horn hacked off.

In the Kariba area, game rangers have found 33 elephant that had been shot, and 65 land mines have been lifted from game paths. One 5 000 hectare game sanctuary, near Chiredzi, has been entirely burned out. One of the conservationists reports: “It all went up in a day and they are still burning what’s left now. Burned land is easier to poach than thick bush. It enables the poacher to hunt with dogs as the animals are in clear view. The animals are rapidly losing condition as there’s no grazing or browsing for them now, and hundreds of small animals have also been killed in the fires.”

The conservationist described a pregnant female warthog that they had found stabbed 30 times in the face. The poachers had just removed the front and back leg, leaving the rest to rot. “They’re doing so much damage. What’s happening is worse than a drought as it’s not selective. The strong are been taken out as well as the weak.”

“A good man is kind to his animals, but the wicked are cruel to theirs.” Proverbs 12:10

The Zimbabwe Conservation Task Force reports that, in the Midlands, four of the game ranches had lost 80% of their wildlife. On land that has been officially “fast tracked” by Mugabe’s ZANU-PF government, there’s no game left at all. In the Midlands, the game is being shot, not snared, and there are suggestions that the police and army are behind the poaching in these areas.

“They promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves of depravity.” 2 Peter 2:19

Along with the wholesale poaching, Marxist mobs have been engaged in wholesale theft, abductions and murder. Properties have been burned out, tourists have been chased out of safari camps, and game rangers have been disarmed, severely assaulted and even killed.

“… the wicked and those who love violence His soul hates.” Psalm 11:5

One observer has commented: “It is incomprehensible that the government has so little control over its own economic assets, appearing to favour short-term mass slaughter over long-term, sustainable growth. Zimbabwe’s extraordinary natural environment has to be regarded as a gift from God. To disrespect and mistreat this gift is to kill the very foundation from which life grows. Everyone in Zimbabwe will be the poorer for this.”

“for every animal of the forest is Mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills.” Psalm 50:10

Another conservationist commented: “How long can we keep this going while they are destroying it all around you, at a rate you can’t imagine? … it’s going to cripple you. It’s a lose-lose situation. Nobody is going to gain from it. The whole thing has been motivated by a government trying to stay in power, it doesn’t matter if the economy collapses or people starve, it’s just a case of staying in power at any cost. It’s a crisis situation and we need immediate action, the longer we wait, the more animals are being killed and the less likely it will be that we can ever make use of wildlife in this country’s economy. All we want to do is preserve the little bit that’s left.”

Incredibly, while President Robert Mugabe has been destroying what were once some of the most successful farms and game reserves in Africa, the World Summit on Sustainable Development, meeting in Johannesburg, actually had Mugabe address the Summit, with many enthusiastically applauding his racist ramblings.

“Those who forsake the Law praise the wicked, but those who keep the Law resist them. Evil men do not understand justice...” Proverbs 28:4-5

The murder, rape and torture of white farmers and their black farm labourers and their families have continued, as thousands of farms have been looted, livestock butchered and fields of crops torched by rampaging Marxist mobs - with the full support of Mugabe’s government.

“Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness; their feet are swift to shed blood; ruin and misery mark their ways.” Romans 3: 15 - 16

Human Rights groups documented over 70 000 human rights abuses in the run up to the elections in March of this year. Election observers were prevented from reaching and supervising over 47% of the polling stations by harassment, violence, roadblocks and interference by police and ZANU-PF militia. As many as 15% (about ½ million) of those who had attempted to vote were turned away from polling stations by ZANU-PF officials, ‘war veterans’ or youth brigade militia, and prevented from voting. New citizenship laws and the Electoral Act prevented another 2 million from even being registered as voters. The only independent daily newspaper, The Daily News, has been repeatedly attacked and its staff arrested, with its printing press and offices being blown up. An independent radio station in Zimbabwe has now also been attacked and blown up by supporters of Mugabe.

“A malicious man disguises himself with his lips, but in his heart he harbours deceit. Though his speech is charming, do not believe it … his malice may be concealed by deception, but his wickedness will be exposed …”Proverbs 26: 24 - 26

Those who claim that Mugabe is involved in the redistribution of land in Zimbabwe need to go and visit those farms that have apparently been “settled.”

“I went past the field of the sluggard, past the vineyard of the man who lacks judgement, thorns had come up everywhere, the ground was covered with weeds, and the stone wall was in ruins.” Proverbs 24: 30 - 31

“He who works his land will have abundant food, but the one who chases fantasies will have his fill of poverty.’”Proverbs 28:19

What were once some of the most productive farms in Africa, providing employment, filling the market place with food, providing produce for export and bringing in foreign currency - are now completely derelict and deserted. The mobs came in, in order to loot, pillage and destroy, and in most cases, after killing off the livestock and wildlife, have returned back to the shantytowns near the city. Some farms have become personal residences for ZANU-PF officials, including the President’s wife.

“By justice a king gives a country stability, but one who is greedy for bribes tears it down.” Proverbs 29:4

Amidst this economic suicide and orgy of lawlessness, Frontline Fellowship published and delivered to Zimbabwe the first Bible commentary in the Shona language. Shona is the majority language of the ruling party.

“Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint; but blessed is he who keeps the Law.” Proverbs 29:18

It is of the utmost importance that you mobilise your Church to pray for the long-suffering Christians of Zimbabwe. Our Fellowship has been praying the Psalms for Zimbabwe since February. It is also imperative that you mobilise as much political pressure as possible against the illegitimate government of ZANU-PF and its dictatorial president, Robert Mugabe.

Contact your elected representatives to urge strong and decisive action against the Marxist regime in Zimbabwe. Lives are at stake and time is running out.

“Speak up for those who cannot speak up for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.” Proverbs 31:8-9

We also need to mobilise more practical support for Zimbabwe pastors, farmers and game rangers, who are all under tremendous threat at this time. For more reports and updates on Zimbabwe, write to Frontline Fellowship, P.O. Box 74, Newlands 7725, Cape Town, South Africa; or e-mail:
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
. If you would like to designate any support for Zimbabwe, we will ensure that it is put to good effect.

“If you falter in times of trouble, how small is your strength! Rescue those being led away to death; hold back those staggering toward slaughter.” Proverbs 24: 10 -11